The Byrd family's attorney has enlisted Dr. Michael Baden, who conducted an autopsy on Michael Brown, to do an independent investigation into Otis Byrd's hanging death.

The family of a man found hanging from a tree in March does not believe he committed suicide, they announced through their legal counsel Wednesday afternoon.

Otis Byrd, 54, was found March 19 hanging by a bed sheet from a tree not far from his residence in Claiborne County after having been missing for over two weeks. Local authorities called in the FBI after finding his body.

Authorities have said evidence doesn't suggest foul play, but the results of an autopsy have not been made public. The FBI says it has discussed the autopsy results with the family but the family's attorneys, Sweet and Associates, disagrees.

"We don't have the result of the autopsy and that's the reason they retained counsel," Dennis Sweet III said Wednesday.

But authorities said they've briefed the family multiple times. Sheriff Marvin Lucas said the first briefing was in Claiborne County on March 21. Then they met with them again in Jackson on March 24.

"We presented them some evidence because we're obligated to keep them updated on how the investigation is going," said Lucas, adding that further evidence was given to them at the second meeting. "We're obligated to share that information with the family, but we're not obligated to share it with anyone else."

Lucas asked the public not to enter into any judgment until all the facts are in.

"Some folks want to make a race issue out of this, and they say, 'Well, the white folks hung him,'" Lucas said. "But nothing has proven that. We need to see what the evidence says. The government has sent almost 30 agents here, and they're the finest agents in the USA, so let's allow them to do their job."

The family's counsel has not ruled out a racial issue.

Noting the "long history of lynching in the state of Mississippi," attorney Dennis Sweet IV said the family plans to launch an independent investigation into Byrd's death.

Byrd's body was cremated, Sweet III said, but noted independent pathologist Michael Baden will examine medical records. Baden is best known for his work on the reinvestigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination, testifying in the OJ Simpson case, gathering evidence against Byron De La Beckwith in the Medgar Evers case, and most recently, an autopsy in the Michael Brown case.

Baden confirmed Wednesday that he had been in touch with the Byrd family's attorney. He said his role will be to review things like autopsy, toxicology, police reports, and medical and psychological history, and that the fact Byrd has been cremated shouldn't affect his part of the investigation.

"Basically the usual things medical examiners use to evaluate any death," Baden said.

The family is not filing a lawsuit at this time, Sweet III said.

"Otis Byrd was found dead three weeks ago and the family still has limited information," Sweet IV said. "The family wants answers. We cannot allow the death of a man hanging from a tree to be swept under the rug."

Lucas maintains that the family has been briefed, even if the public has not been given every detail.

"If that was your family, would you want everyone to know? There are some things the public doesn't need to know," Lucas said.

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, Don Alway, issued the following statement: "At each milestone in this case, the FBI's first step is to personally brief family members. Though we haven't publicly released autopsy results, on March 24, along with the MBI, investigators met with family representatives to discuss the state medical examiner's findings and answer any questions. As we have since the outset, our team will continue to do so with any new development."

Lucas said once the full results of the tests at the state crime lab and at the federal lab in Quantico, Va., are complete, law enforcement will make a final report.